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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/18/2003 Adjourned Meeting 3 CITY OF YAKIMA, WASHINGTON ADJOURNED MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL NOVEMBER 18, 2003 — 8:30.M. COUNCIL CHAMBERS - CITY HALL 1. Roll CaII Present: Council: Mayor Mary Place, presiding, Council Members Clarence Barnett, Paul George, John Puccinelli, and Bernard Sims Staff: Assistant City Manager Rice, Finance and Budget Director Anson, Edna Pettyjohn, Accountant; and City Clerk Roberts 2. Finance Department (Contingency Reduction Pages 138 -147) Rita Anson and Edna Pettyjohn were available to answer questions. Ms. Anson opened the session by describing the contingency plans for Finance and that all contingency plans are two - tiered. She explained that Finance's plan covers Municipal Court, Probation, Information Systems, as well as the Outside Agencies. There was discussion on those things that could trigger the need to implement the contingency plans, items such as a loss in revenue or unplanned expenses such as unfunded mandates. This led to a discussion on the potential of SST legislation (Streamline Sales Tax) that could potentially impact the City's revenue by $350,000. Council Member George expressed concern about the contingency proposal to reduce the City's level of support to COG by $10,000. He claimed that reduction would jeopardize three - quarter of a million dollars of revenue. Ms. Anson explained that, for the purposes of a contingency reduction, they included all of the outside agencies. They don't know whether that would be recommended; further research would have to be done if that level of reduction was required. Council Member George advised he would not support that level of cut to COG. 3. Public Works Department (Contingency Reduction Pages PI 127 -137) ® PARKS AND RECREATION (Budget Page H -68, Policy Pages PI 39 -49) Denise Nichols, Parks and Recreation Manager, and Chris Waarvick, Public Works Director, were available for questions. Policy Issues Revised copies were distributed. Mrs. Nichols explained that fees are reviewed annually and they have been increased approximately 5% across the board with exception of recreational swims. The swims have historically been increased every third year; that would be next year, but some adult programs and the lessons program are included in the 5% increase. After School Programs in the Northeast and Southeast Neighborhoods were previously run by the Substance Abuse Coalition. There is a request for $75,000 for Parks and Recreation to provide this service with the help of Americorp as Activity Leaders. 3 NOVEMBER 18, 2003- BUDGET MEETING Central Business District Landscaping is currently paid by the Yakima Downtown Association and Parks Department maintenance. There is a policy issue requesting Yakima Downtown Association pay an additional $12,800 to alleviate the need for subsidizing by the Parks Department. It was noted that, even with an approximate 5% increase of fees and charges, Tahoma cemetery's costs are still below other cemeteries. Budget (Page H -68) Denise Nichols advised that the Parks and Recreation Commission members would like to meet with the City Council after the first of the year to go over the budget issues and challenges for the next year. There was discussion on the status of the new Senior Center and the Kiwanis Park project. Mrs. Nichols pointed out that there are only five acres left of undeveloped parkland, south of Randall Park. Discussion then ensued on the process of obtaining more open space, vandalism, levels of maintenance, and fencing at Kiwanis Park. Council Member Sims noted that the Front Street Merchants said they were going to remove fencing at a parking lot and would donate it to Parks. Parks will determine if it will be adequate for helping with the vandalism problem at the Kiwanis project. Mrs. Nichols said this is the first year the Fisher Park golf course has not operated in the black. She suggested the best course of action would be to improve marketing, and solicit the brand new golfer. Other areas that can be looked at are increasing fees, and delaying openings and closing. Mrs. Nichols explained that what compounded their expenditures was the retirement of a long -term employee that required a cash out. Mr. Waarvick responded to Council Member Barnett's questions about the feasibility of operating Park facilities with declining usage and increasing costs and said those issues will be brought before Council to examine as they occur. Whether any recreational activity is subsidized or not will be a policy decision. Tom Gates, a member of Parks and Recreation Commission, addressed the Council regarding the situation with the pools. He noted the pools are projected to be a revenue loss of about $425,000 this year and encouraged leadership action to put the Parks Department on better fiscal footing. He suggested putting a ballot item forward to the public to provide funding for the pools. He claimed that because the Council has not been willing to address the pool issue, other areas within Parks and Recreation have had to be cut in order to subsidize them. Mayor Place questioned whether the Parks Commission had looked into water parks, and Council Member Puccinelli suggested having advertising painted onto the bottom of the pools as a source of revenue. He also said he thinks the public is demanding that we look for other ways to raise revenues besides raising taxes. Mrs. Nichols said they had a focus group of citizens study the idea of advertising and they didn't like it. The downside was the age of the facilities and the short swimming season. Advertisers are not convinced they would get a return for their investment. It was also noted that if the Selah aquatics center is built, the pool's participation numbers will continue to drop. The Council took a ten - minute recess and resumed the meeting at 10:40 a.m. 2 38 NOVEMBER 18, 2003 — BUDGET MEETING Other Parks and Recreation items discussed were: ➢ Publication of the Parks and Recreation Program Guide ➢ Southeast Community Center There was a lengthy discussion on cemetery maintenance costs versus revenue resulting from pre - purchases, and the potential of future cremain walls. That is an item that will be looked at by the Cemetery Task Force. Contingency Plan Mrs. Nichols described Tier 1 as eliminating outside agency requests and all the recreation programs, exclusive of adult athletics, and reducing all the free programs to the community, e.g. summer concerts. Tier 2 would be the reduction of people and the tree fund. • TRANSIT (Budget Page H -35, Policy Page PI -60) Gary Pira, Transit Project Manager, and Ken Mehin, Transit Manager, were available for questions. The policy item covers the purchase of three 35 -foot buses to replace three 18- year old units. With this purchase, the City would become 100% compliant with ADA regulations. • STREETS (Budget Page H -11; Policy Page 62) Shelley Willson, Streets and Traffic Operations Manager, was available for questions. Mrs. Willson explained that one of their most frequent requests is for a way to deal with speeding residential traffic. They have included an unbudgeted policy issue for $20,000 for signs and physical devices in the neighborhoods. A discussion on the traffic problem at 16 Avenue and Bonnie Doone developed as well as on traffic problems in general. Discussion of the 50/50 Sidewalk Program resulted in Council Member Sims suggesting the request include an option to change it from $30,000 to $50,000 with the idea that if the money is not used by July, it can be put into repairing existing sidewalks. Mrs. Willson described the street maintenance program and how it has gone from a seven- year cycle to a 35 -40 year cycle. Council Member Barnett raised the issue of the Transportation Plan and emphasized the need to include plans for 16 Avenue. Also discussed were plans for unpaved streets. Council Member Sims asked about the impact of the Real Estate Excise Tax on the budget and Mr. Waarvick advised it had not been included because it had not yet been enacted. Council Member Sims suggested some of it be earmarked for the issues Council Member Barnett described with 16 Avenue. Also noted were the department's involvement in publications and attendance at citizens' meetings to help raise awareness of the existing conditions and the process to update the transportation plan. Mr. Waarvick reviewed a document responding to an earlier question about how gas tax money is spent. Council Member Puccinelli asked about pyramiding this money as was suggested by the Capital Improvements 3 3 �9 NOVEMBER 18, 2003,— BUDGET MEETING Committee earlier in the year. He also questioned whether the City would be better off doing away with the Street Department and hiring a private company to maintain the streets. Mrs. Willson responded to the comment about privatizing street maintenance by explaining the department's functions beyond just cleaning streets. They deal with on -call emergencies such as wind blown tree limbs, or toxic spills. Privatizing would not cover all the "on- demand" activities. Research has shown that the prevailing wage, even with benefits, is higher than what City staff is being paid. Kay Adams, City Engineer, explained that the portion of gas tax money that goes to Public Works is unrestricted and mainly intended for maintenance and operational work and noted that Ms. Anson had stated that maintenance and operational money cannot be used as leverage. He also pointed out that the unrestricted money that goes to Public Works can be used to maintain existing streets and can go to residential streets while the money that Engineering receives is primarily restricted and can only be used for federally classified arterial streets. Council Member Sims suggested setting aside $400,000 to be used toward getting an increase in matching funds and anticipating that it would be replaced by REET funds thereby allowing a year's head start towards matching funds. Mr. Waarvick said REET cannot be used for maintenance purposes. City Engineer Adams described the timing on matching funds and said he believed it would be timely to go ahead and wait for REET funds to obtain matching money. Contingency Plan The discussion covered: > A stormwater position being a reallocation of funds rather than a reduction. Mrs. Willson explained that, although it doesn't reduce any overall expenses, it is being subsidized by the Streets budget without an increase to cover it. As a result they have had to reduce other line items to recover those costs. One idea that was discussed was turning off every other streetlight, leaving the arterial streetlights on at the intersections and turning off mid -block lights. > Tipping fees — in 2004 the City Street Division would no longer be involved in the leaf program. There are several things the City could look at, one being to encourage people to use yard waste containers. Other cities make bags available that are pre - purchased and if the leaves are in them, Refuse would pick them up. That way It wouldn't be City subsidized, citizens would be paying to have leaves picked up. ➢ Tier 2 reductions are all positions involved in the daily activities. • PUBLIC WORKS ADMINISTRATION (Budget Page H -1) Chris Waarvick, Director of Public Works, was available for questions. General discussion included: > Parks activities resulting from the Larson Park exchange ➢ The new Senior Center and it's expected opening in the spring of 2004 > The need to find clients to run the S.E. Community Center > The Capital Facilities Committee. 4 4 0 NOVEMBER 18, 2003 — BUDGET MEETING • REFUSE (Budget Page H -47) Nancy Fortier, Refuse Manager, was available for questions. In response to a question about service with annexations, Mrs. Fortier advised that they stay with their old refuse carrier for seven years. • EQUIPMENT RENTAL (Budget Page H -57) Richard Wonner, Fleet Manager, was available for questions. Discussion included: - > Loss of a contract with an outside source for lubes and oil changes > A more in -depth operational assessment of the Fleet Division ➢ How the rates for 2004 are actual costs for 2003 billed in arrears 4. Adjournment GEORGE MOVED AND SIMS SECONDED TO ADJOURN TO THE 2:00 P.M. BUSINESS MEETING. The motion carried by unanimous voice vote. The meeting adjourned at 11:07 a.m. READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY e r, _ / 4•• `' J 4d ' : • ICIL MEMBE j DATE _ , , '', , 3/ ‘ COUNCIL MEM R DA / E ATTEST: • ti*v > 4 / /geaA-4 0 (-1-e-e' CITY CLERK MARY PLACE, MAYOR Minutes prepared by Linda Watkins. An audio and video tape of this meeting are available in the City Clerk's Office 5